Drew Barrymore is launching a line of her own cosmetics called Flower. / Todd Plitt, USA TODAY

by Donna Freydkin, USA TODAY

by Donna Freydkin, USA TODAY

NEW YORK - Drew Barrymore has a phrase for the numerous vanity projects launched by stars seemingly every week.

"Celebrity yuck," she sighs.

If there's one secret to Barrymore's enduring success, it's her wide-eyed, enthusiastic dedication to whatever project she takes on. Barrymore may play people for a living, but she doesn't fake things. When she directed the roller derby flick Whip It, she had her entire cast - including herself - train to become proficient on wheels.

The same goes for her new makeup line, Flower, which launches in Walmart stores by the end of the month. The collection includes 181 products ranging in price from $4.98 to $13.98. She reels off facts about the milled powder that is part of Flower's line and the eyeshadow quads that she says can compete with anything sold by upscale stores.

"The only way to prove to yourself that you won't be celebrity yuck is longevity and productivity. So I have to prove it to myself. If I can do well in this, I can be so happy. I'm passionate and care about it and know what women want. I would love it if my daughter was interested in running the company one day."

Barrymore holds up her hand and shows off nails - slightly chipped - painted in the Gorgeous Gerbera nail color ($4.98). "I should really go get a proper manicure. But who has time?" she says.

Flower is part dream project, part practical career evolution. Barrymore is married to art consultant Will Kopelman and the mom of infant daughter Olive. She has no desire to hopscotch the globe, going from movie set to press junket to premiere. And at a time when so many of her peers - most notably Gwyneth Paltrow - are expanding to become one-woman lifestyle brands, Barrymore isn't that far behind. She has a line of Barrymore wines. And she hopes to continue building Flower into a bigger brand.

"I'm the biggest workaholic, but I do believe you can't have it all. You can have a few things and prioritize and balance that with real life. It's a life first. I'm married to someone who's really supportive of this endeavor. It's odd and beautiful and fitting. I'm not the same person I was, saying 'see you later' and I have to go off and do a film. We're together every night. I have a much more civilized schedule. I don't want to miss out on family."

She and Kopelman were married in June; the wedding pictures appeared in People magazine. Barrymore gets all gushy when discussing her husband. "He's so excruciatingly honest, and I love it. I know I married someone who's real with me. He challenges me. He doesn't take my stuff. He's a strong, great guy. His intentions are impeccable. He really believes in working for things, putting in the effort, and being honest. I really root for him and his happiness."

Her daughter is home with Kopelman and his parents while Mom promotes her new endeavor. "I'm like a lot of working moms who have to reach out and ask for help when they go out and do their job. The worst part of my job is leaving my kid. I was miserable this morning kissing her goodbye, but I'll be home for bath time. I'm able to do a lot of work from home right now. I'm learning to reorganize how I do things so I can be there."

Does she want Olive to have siblings?

"Yes! Yes! Very much!" she says. "My husband wore her in a pack on Christmas Day, and we went on a snow hike. It was the cutest thing. It hurts. It's so cool."

At some point, she'll go back behind and in front of the camera. Just not now.

"I love producing and acting and directing. But this is where I am in life. At 38, with a husband and a kid, I'm really in love with real life right now. I don't want to go into fantasy-land.

"I'm appreciating lifestyle business endeavors. It's really fun for me right now. I can come home and talk about it and share it and break out that bottle of wine and put that makeup on, which I need every day. This is good."